When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I might have used a kill switch 3 times in my 55+ years of riding. Never really understood why bikes have them in the first place anyway. AFAIK no other motor vehicle has one, so why bikes?
I only use the kill switch if I am parking on an incline and want to leave the bike in gear. Kill switch makes it easier to leave it in gear and shut down on a slope since you can hold both the clutch and front brake in while you shut down and have both your feet are on the ground, then release the clutch and then the front brake. Always have to remember to turn of the main ignition switch too. Almost forgot a couple of times but noticed the light still on.
whatever you want to do...but turn on the ignition ONE TIME after you have left the kill switch on and let a starter switch short and you won't do it again
In flying you learn checklists. They work well for start up and shut down on a bike as well, just do it in your head, easy enough
But what do I know, I've only been riding HD for 35 years...
why not get into the habit of locking the ignition switch after you've hit the kill switch and ignition and you wouldn't forget to turn off your ignition? I lock the ignition and the forks every time including at home in my garage.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.